Fm guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.
P - m - i - m · Alternating Folk (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)
The 1st string repeats the F of the 6th. This pattern leaves it out. All 6 arpeggios
Alternating picking with steady pulse.
The notes of Fm are F, Ab and C. F is the root, Ab the minor third and C the fifth. Said aloud, its notes are F, A flat and C.
From the low string to the high one you hear F, C, F, Ab, C and F. The root, F, shows up three times in the main shape. The lowest and highest notes are both F, two octaves apart, on strings 6 and 1.
For Fm, your index finger barres fret 1. Everything fits between frets 1 and 3. Besides the main one there are two more shapes, at frets 3 and 8.
F is one change away. String 3 moves from fret 1 to fret 2, bringing in A, the major third of F. It shares two notes with Ab, Ab and C. Going to C, two positions stay the same.
You will find Fm in five different keys. In Ab major it is the vi, in Eb major the ii and in Db major the iii. The rest appear in the key list. Further down there is a song that uses it.
F 1Ab ♭3C 5
Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 1 (F)
String Control (Muted & Active)6 / 6 • Active and muted strings status indicator
Placement tip: Barre fret 1. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 3, 4th String (D) at fret 3.
Placement tip: Barre fret 8. Press: 4th String (D) at fret 10, 3rd String (G) at fret 10, 2nd String (B) at fret 9. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).
Placement tip: Press: 4th String (D) at fret 3 with your Index finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 5 with your Ring finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 6 with your Pinky finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 4 with your Middle finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E), 5th String (A).
| Item | In this chord |
|---|---|
| Frets | 1 to 3 |
| Barre | fret 1, from the 6th to the 1st string |
| Fretting fingers | 3 |
| Open | none |
| Muted | none |
At fret 1, only the barre sounds the 6th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st strings.
Listen: Fm → C · C7 · Bbm
Fm sits in the scale of 5 keys.
Well-known songs where this chord plays a clear role
The questions that come up most when playing this chord
To play the Fm chord on guitar, all 6 strings are played from the 6th string (Low E) to the 1st string (High E). Arch your finger joints perpendicular to the fretboard so adjacent strings ring clearly.
The primary bass note of the Fm chord is its root note: F. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 1.
When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.
The Fm chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 formula (Minor Triad). Its constituent pitches are F, Ab, C.
To prevent fret buzz on the Fm barre chord, roll your index finger slightly outward (about 15 degrees) to press with its harder bony edge. Position your finger directly behind the fret wire and apply gentle arm pull from your back rather than squeezing with thumb force.
"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (Green Day, 2004). Part of the chord loop that repeats through most of the song (Fm - Ab - Eb - Bb).
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